When an environmentalist demanded he acknowledge the risks involved, Ian Andersen, the company's CEO, said: "I'm not going to admit that diluted bitumen in our pipeline is any different than any other heavy crude in our pipeline," adding the former has been flowing through the company's pipeline for 20 years.

"It's just more risk with more oil," said Ben West, a Wilderness Committee campaigner.

"It's not for our consumption, it's for export. I just don't think people in B.C. are going to want to see this happen."